Dramatic visuals have emerged of the flame ridden route Californian emergency services had to navigate in order to save 82 trapped campers, 58 of who were children.

Dashcam footage released by Santa Barbara County Sheriff's Office shows trees completely ablaze on either side of the narrow path leading to the Circle V Ranch Camp.

The clip stops as officers reach a part of the road that is unassailable as it is completely consumed by the raging inferno.

Block: The flames blocked the path to the camp to save children and their helpers

The video was released by the Sheriff's Office Facebook page on Saturday, a week after the Whittier forest fire ravaged the region.

The caption with the clips read: 'The Unified Command for the Whittier Fire released dashcam video from two patrol cars that tried to access Circle V Ranch Camp to access the area where children, counselors and staff were trapped.

'The video gives insight as to how dangerous the conditions were.'

Despite the blockage in the road the rescue team managed to reach those left stranded by the flames to safety.

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Of the 124 people in attendance at the camp some 30 campers and 12 staff members were able to evacuate in vehicles, but 82 people were left trapped when a wall of flames, falling trees, rocks and debris blocked the dirt road.

One officer did manage to reach the camp in the form of US Forest Service Patrolman Dave Dahlberg who assured the campers that help was on its way.

'I was able to make access into the camp through all the smoke and flames and all the debris on the road. It was tough at some points,' Dahlberg told KSBY news.

Inferno: The route resembled something from a horror movie

Ablaze: Trees, debris and smoke made the journey treacherous

He met campers as they sheltered inside the dining hall area and waited for a bulldozer to help protect the area from encroaching flames, which came within 600 feet (180m) of the camp.

'I assured them that we were in a safe place and that we would all get out safely. It seemed like minutes but it probably was closer to two hours when I first saw county Dozer 1,' he continued

More than 13,000 acres have been affected by the Whitter Fire and authorities said that of yesterday only 52 percent of the blaze had been contained.